Other Towns

DAYS OUT AWAY FROM THE BEACHWe know that we can have a great night out under the Tunisian stars, but what about during the daytime? What is there to do for those of us who haven't yet acquired the continental habit of taking a siesta in the afternoon and would like to do something a little different?

Below is a list of several towns worth a visit, that may satisfy any parents out there who thought that six weeks school summer holiday was long enough in the UK, whilst Tunisian children have from the end of June to the second week in September!!

TRAVELLING OFF THE BEATEN TRACK IN THE CAP BON

The area around Nabeul and Hammamet is sometimes called the Garden Resort of Tunisia and travelling just a little further away from the main seaside resorts, it is not hard to see why! Take time to explore traditional towns such as Beni Khiar, (which is now becoming home to quite a few besotted Brits!) or visit nearby Maamoura, still very undeveloped and excellent for 'getting away from it all' type holidays! Even further along the coast, travelling through stunning countryside, lies Korba, with its pristine, white sandy beaches and home to the magnificent (and my all time favourite) hotel the Africa Jade!

No Marmite in Tunisia wishes to thank Bassam Bounenni, himself an expat, but a Tunisian expat, living in Qatar, who works as a journalist for the television satellite station Al Jazeera, for sending us some photographs showing the Cap Bon countryside.

Originally from Menzel-Temime, Bassam has sent us a photograph of Tabarka, which is further down the page in the article on Tabarka and the following three photographs of the area heading towards Menzel-Temime, the little nearby village of Wakyan and the impressive fortress town of Kelibia!

P.S. Anybody, who knows anything about the story of the ancient inhabitants of Kelibia, being red-haired, blue-eyed English folk, who landed there stranded, following a shipwreck....please write in!

Kelibia

Driving towards Menzel-Temime

Wakyan

Chott El Jerid TunisiaIs This The Closest Thing To Mars On Earth?

Nine scientists and geologists are currently analysing one of the most Mars-like places on Earth, Chott el Jerid in South West Tunisia, in preparation for future missions to the Red Planet! Studies will be made to seek similarities between the Chott el Jerid desert and mineral deposits on the surface of Mars.

The team, led by Dr Felipe Gomez from the Centro de Astrobiologia (INTA-CSIC) in Madrid, in collaboration with Jamel Touir from Sfax University, a specialist on sedimentology of the Sabkhas (the Arabic name for salt flat deposits in deserts,) will drill down to a depth of three metres to study the structure and mineralogy beneath the surface and to collect samples for microbiological analysis.

The project, which links planetary scientists from more than 100 laboratories and institutes in Europe and around the world, has been organised by the Europlanet Research Infrastructure.The Europlanet project, offers scientists access to a range of planetary analogues - places on Earth that resemble environments found on other planets and moons in our Solar System - to test out instrumentation for future missions and to understand more about how geological systems observed on places like Mars and Titan are formed and evolve.

Chott el Jerid is a seasonal lake that is completely dry for most of the year. Its sun-baked surface, composed of a hard crust of sodium chloride, conceals sources of underground water and the area has a vivid red colour due to the high iron content. This environment appears to resemble closely layered deposits of chloride salts discovered at Martian high latitudes by recent missions, such as Mars Odyssey, using data from Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS), Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

It is said that the new site at Chottt el Jerid will be a unique facility for European planetary scientists!

The Unique Landscape At Chott El Jerid, Tunisia

THE GOLDEN EYE CAVECould Tunisia's Geological WonderBe The Most Beautiful Cave In The World?

Lying 3000 metres deep in the Sarej Mountain, the second highest in Tunisia, in the region of Siliana is one of the geological wonders of Tunisia!

The "Golden Eye Cave" consists of nine separate rooms containing rock formations, characterised by their golden colour and unique water fountains springing from the heart of the mountain. It is located on rocky terraces with crystal cataclysms formed over thousands of years, each six metres high, the height of the largest hall in the cave being 20 metres! In order to reach the cave’s last room, amateurs are required to swim, crawl, and climb.

With more than 60 other caves in the region still to explore, geologists, are preparing a file, made of videotapes, still photos and documents which they will submit to the Speleological and Caves World Federation for the nomination of the “Golden Eye Cave” for the“Most Beautiful Cave in the World” award!

PORT EL KANTAOUI

Stunningly Beautiful!

I never tire of paying a visit to this lovely little marina!

Cobbled walkways, white-washed residences, trees, flowers and fountains, lying beside the picturesque boats and yachts bobbing up and down on the sparkling, blue waters!

So popular with the British, everywhere you go English can be heard spoken, as tourists flock to visit this little gem! Even the waiters, shop and stall sellers or guys offering one of the many available boat rides will shout after you in English first instead of the customary French!

Those of you who have chosen to make your home in Port El Kantaoui, tell of being able to spend many a pleasant summer night amongst the lively atmosphere of the many terraces of the cafe bars and restaurants lining the water's edge.Sam's Review Of Port El Kantaoui

Sam, who is currently counting down the days before her 'big move' in the Autumn of 2008 to Sousse, has sent in her thoughts also on Port El Kantaoui.

If you have an opportunity to visit Port El Kantaoui (and I would strongly recommend that you do if you have the chance), you will find it situated approximately 10km from Sousse.

You will be bowled over by the beauty of the modern marina with its Moorish architectural influence (built in approximately 1979 as a tourist attraction), whilst leisurely wandering around on a warm, summer, evening, looking at the boats and yachts (of which the marina can accommodate up to 300.)

Visit the boutiques, cafes and restaurants and take a stroll down cobble stoned streets sweeping out to the ever-blue sea on which daily water sports take place from the golden, sandy stretch of beach; stopping to have a glass of mint tea by the lighthouses in one of the popular ice cream parlours and listening to the gentle lap of the sea.

If all this is not enough to tempt you, how about the two 18 hole golf courses; Aqua Palace Water Park; quad biking; family fun fair or dinner in one of the many family-oriented restaurants which offer a wide variety of fresh local caught fish!

HAMMAMET

Views That You Never Tire Of!Again, like Nabeul, a very lively town, with plenty of souvenir shops, hotels, and restaurants, catering for every tourist's whim; although for everyday living, one British resident in Hammamet has mentioned that there is only one supermarket (Magasin General) which is very small with limited stock.

But for those of you lucky enough to be living in Hammamet and able to wake up to views of its town centre with tree-lined boulevards, 12th century kasbah, medina, or miles of sandy beaches, you could be living in one of the most beautiful places on earth!!

TABARKA

Tabarka is a town in the north of Tunisia and is a mountainous region surrounded by a rocky coastline and towering forests. The annual jazz festival is held there. 35 miles from its coast are La Galite islands, where if you enjoy diving there is a well preserved shipwreck, and it is also home to a colony of monk seals in its nature reserve.

Photo of Tabarka : Bassam Bounenni - Al Jazeera Satellite Television

KORBOUS

This is a place to be visited at least "twice!!" The town is in a dramatic setting, and to get to it one must drive along rugged mountainside roads with breathtaking views. Once there you feel like you are in a completely different country. The air is so pure and the place so quiet and traffic-free you could hear a pin drop.

This is a spa town where hot thermal springs gush out from the mountain sides. Bathe in these, or simply swim in the clear, blue waters of the sea itself, or picnic on the cliffs, taking in your stunning surroundings.

Monastir

Thank you William for your lovely photographs from your holiday in Monastir.

Monastir is the town famous for many things. It has the beautiful beach and marina. It is the birth place of the former president Habib Bourguiba as well as his final resting place inside the magnificent mausoleum. It has also been used as a location for films such as Life of Brian and Life of Christ.

Easy to reach from neighbouring Sousse, just hop into a louage from the main louage station, which will take you there in around 10 minutes for just over a couple of dinars (2007 prices.)

Any expats living in or near to Monastir who would like to write a review about life in this town, please email me on nomarmiteintunisia@yahoo.fr

Ain Draham

THE COUNTRYSIDE AND THE SNOW OF SWITZERLANDIN TUNISIA

Most, when thinking of Tunisia, conjure up visions of exotic, hot, Saharan desert sands! Few would believe that by travelling to the opposite end of Tunisia's beautiful and diverse country, would mean stumbling across a mountain resort resembling a Swiss Alpine village! Ain Draham, with a name meaning 'a source of money,' is a spectacularly, attractive town built 1000 metres above sea level by French colonialists. There are houses with pitched, red roof tiles and dense forests of cork and oak, full of game, including wild boar, and at one time even lions and panthers, attracting a very different type of visitor, wishing to take part in the regular hunting season!

Yesterday, January 11th 2010, the town was covered with snow! Ain Draham holds the national record in Tunisia, with 2 metres of snow recorded in 2005. Many Tunisians even travel there to enjoy winter activities such as skiing! Sportsmen in search of pristine air, also regularly visit the town's fully equipped international sports centre which has attracted high level Tunisian and international football, as well as handball teams!

A town, still waiting to be discovered by many, is yet another jewel in Tunisia's crown!

Mahdia And Kerkennah

DISCOVER MAHDIA!

In the 10th century Mahdia, for 50 years, was the capital of one of the Muslim world's most important line of rulers, theFatimids! Ruins of their ancient port can still be seen hugging Mahdia's coastline, gradually being washed away into the sea! Jenny and Frank from Nottingham live there for the winter months of the year. Discover what else Mahdia has to offer by reading Jenny's report and the new reportChristmas in Mahdia!

Kerkennahwas a place of exile with prisoners shipped over there for centuries! The islands were originally calledCercina as legend claims that the witch-goddessCirce was supposed to have imprisonedOdysseusthere, believing him too handsome to let go! Furthermore, it is also home to one of Tunisia's oldest native population, theAmazigh. They blended first with the Phoenicians and later with the Romans. These are just a few of the fascinating facts that have led an Australian television channelSBS TVtobroadcast a 30 minute documentary this week on the islands!

The documentary showcased the history of ancient Mediterranean civilisations, as well as the islands' strategic position which has been explored by famous figures, tourists, researchers and photographers namely from Greece and Malta! A major source of living for the inhabitants of Kerkennah is fishing, said to be sometimes collected using palm branches, as well as octopus. TheFestival du Poulpe(Octopus Festival) is normally held during the Spring (2010 this may be changed to December) and theFestival de la Sirène(Mermaid Festival) is held in the Summer.

Toujane,Taoujoutand Zraouaare three mountain villages included in the project ofThe National Heritage Institute(INP) which is to preserve Arab and Berber specificities, including religious monuments, as well as integrating them into the tourist track!

Works will focus particularly on building walls throughout the mountain slopes to prevent landslides, as well as the paving of the main streets of these three localities.

Well worth a visit, as these spectacular spots are so very different and seem a world away from the more well-known and popular resorts of Sousse or Hammamet, the villages are strategically located on the map of new mountain roads linking tourist attractions and archaeological sites to southern Tunisia.

The village of Toujane is perched on top of a 700 metre high mountain overlooking the sea and the plains of El Arradh and Jaffar.

The village of Zraoua is located at a height of 200 metres above sea level, a strategic passage between south-eastern and southwestern Tunisian towns.

Djebba National Park, Tunisia

If this photograph looks familiar, it is perhaps because this picturesque area, located in the district ofBeja, in the North-West ofTunisia, is not unlike the Cheddar Gorge and its caves in Somerset, England! Try climbing to the top ofDjebel Goraa, just a little over 900m, on the steps built into the cliff face, for superb views over Beja Plain.

In May 1903, the missionary society,The White Fathers erected a statue of theVirgin Maryon a high ledge on the cliff, to create the"Notre Dame of Goraa!" The statue survived right up until 1998, but is now locked away in a concrete bunker under the cliff face, with a broken arm, following the attempted theft by some young bright spark, who dropped the statue after being surprised by the park warden!

EXPATS WANTED BY AMERICAN FILM COMPANY

Leopard Films USA would like to hear from expats who have moved to Tunisia within the last 15 months or have been here for 3-4 years, but recently moved into a new home. The show will document their move to a new country and will place the country in a fabulous light. The contributors on the show would also receive monetary compensation if they are filmed.

Anybody interested please email us ASAP. nomarmiteintunisia@yahoo.fr

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